Vending machine



Patented Sept. 9, 1947 VEN DIN G MACHINE Charles L. Casey, Riverside, and Juddson B. Ryno, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Reliable Sheet Metal-Engineering Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 22, 1945, Serial No. 573,872

1 Claim. l

This invention relates to improvements in Vending machines of the type in which the articles to be vended are heldl within a holder, which latter is provided with a discharge outlet, the articles being successively delivered to the operator by the operation of an ejector, which latter is released by means of any suitable coin-controlled mechanism. The ejector is of a construction to provide arms that operate across the delivery outlet of the holder, and serve not only to deliver the articles from the supply, but also serve the purpose of holding back the supply when the ejector is operated to deliver the foremost or bottom article.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention, in which Fig. 1 is a view, partly in perspective and partly broken away, of a machine of this character, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and with the front of the casing removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, with parts omitted.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1, with parts omitted.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral IIJ designates, generally, a casing having a delivery outlet II and a bottom or chute I2, which latter delivers the article through the outlet II.

Arranged within the casing is a container or holder for the articles. The container is of any suitable construction, but preferably embodies sides or uprights I3 which are secured together in any suitable manner, such as by means of any suitable number of cross-pieces I4, the uprights or sides being preferably provided with flanges I5. At the front of the uprights, and preferably adjacent the lower ends thereof, is a wall I6 which is provided with openings Il, for a purpose to be described.

Extending across the bottom of the holder thus formed, is a shaft I8 mounted in suitable bearings. The shaft extends through one of the walls of the casing I0, and has connected thereto an operating handle I9 that is disposed outside of the casing. This shaft is journaled in suitable bearings, and is adapted to be oscillated by the handle I 9.

Mounted upon the shaft I8, andv across the delivery end of the holder or container i3, is an ejector which preferably comprises a tubular body portion or sleeve 2,0 having secured thereto arms 2| which are spaced from each other in directions lengthwise of the sleeve, and form, with the sleeve, a spool or drum. The ejector is secured to the shaft I8 preferably -by means of a pin or member 22 which passes through a slot 23 in the tubular member 20, and also through a suitable opening in the shaft I 8, so that the shaft will be adapted for a limited oscillatory movement with respect to the ejector.

Connected to the shaft I8, and within a space 24 between one of the uprights I3 of the holder and the wall of the casing IE), is an arm 25 to which one end of a spring 21 is secured, as at 28. The spring is anchored at its other end, as at 29, and tends normally to move the arm 25 in a direction to return the ejector to its normal position after an article has been delivered.

The operation of the shaft I8 and the ejector 20 is controlled by any suitable coin-controlled mechanism (not shown), but which mechanism embodies a coin-receiving opening 30 (Fig. 1), through which the coin is inserted into the coin- `controlled mechanism.

Arranged within the holder for the articles 3l, is a follower 32 for urging the articles to the ejector. The numeral 33 designates an arm or member which is pivotally supported, as at 34, and is provided with a weight 35 tending to move it in one direction, so as to open the coin ventrance opening 30, to permit of the insertion of a coin. When the machine is empty of articles, it is desirable that the entrance opening 30 shall be closed, so that a coin cannot be inserted into the opening 30. To this end there is provided a projection 36 which is carried by the follower 32, and this projection is adapted to engage an arm 3l which is connected to a member 38, the latter being also connected to the member 33, as at 39, and being guided by a guide 40. The arm 31 is disposed within the path of movement of the pro- .iection 36 on the follower, so that when the last article 3I is being delivered from the supply, it will be engaged by the projection 36 to move the member 33 across the opening 3B to close the same, against the stress of the weight 35. As soon as the follower 32 is raised to replenish the supply of articles, the weight 35 will move the member 33 back to the position shown in Fig. 1, and thereby uncover the entrance opening 30.

By reason of the slot 23 in the tubular member 20, it will be manifest that the handle I9 and the holder, as this article will be resting within the seats or cut-away portions 4! in the arms and which portions are directly beneath the article, and are of a length substantially greater than the diameters of the articles. The edges 42 of these arms 2l will then pass under the next advancing article, to hold the same elevated while the article Within the recesses 4I is being delivered through the back of the article holder, to be deposited upon the bottom l2 of the casing, and then delivered to the operator through the outlet Il, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2.

A ledge 43 may be provided at the top of the outlet opening Il, for receiving the lower end of the front of the casing l0 (not 'shownl' While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, Within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is: In a vending machine, a holder for the articles, a rock shaft extending across the bottom of said 4 holder, an ejector, said ejector embodying a tubular body of substantial length and a pair of arms carried by the said body, a portion of each of said arms being shaped to form seats for the article, said seats being of a length substantially greater than the diameter of the articles, said tubular body being sleeved upon said shaft, a pin and slot connection directly between said tubular body and said shaft, to provide a limited movement of said shaft with respect to said ejector, the forward portions of said arms operating to separate or move the lowermost article from the supply when the arms are moved in one direction, the peripheral edges of said arms operating to support the supply of articles adjacent the ends of the articles as the lowermost article is being ejected, means for moving said shaft in one direction to operate the ejector, and means for returning said shaft and ejector.

CHARLES L. CASEY. JUDDSON B. RYNO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 856,945 Dove June 11, 1907 2,181,542 Beamer Nov. 28, 1939 1,534,273 Krema Apr. 21, 1925 2,153,694 Officer Apr. 11, 1939 

